At this time of year it is not just in our planted and tended gardens that flowers are blooming, the wildflowers are blooming too. Spring walks in the woods are full of little hidden treasures, often showing up where we least expect them. These fragile looking little flowers are much stronger than they look and often survive extremely adverse conditions without a gardener to help them along.

I like discovering wildflowers in the woods. Unconstrained by garden beds, they seem to be so strong and free, able to grow almost anywhere. I always find it reassuring to see that their strength and persistence have prevailed over the harsh winter conditions once again and they have survived for another season of growth.

“You belong among the wildflowers,
You belong somewhere close to me.
Far away from your trouble and worries
You belong somewhere you feel free.”
~Tom Petty

Walking along wilderness trails I often feel like I have entered an extensive, rambling garden filled with a captivating array of plant life, some impressive and grand, others tiny or almost hidden.The trees are the grandest occupants of these wilderness gardens from their aging roots, gnarled and twisted and slowly exposed over time, to the fresh young leaves in the highest branches glittering in the sunlight. These naturally occurring gardens have sprouted unbidden from the soil, and have grown and thrived often unnoticed and untouched by humans for many years.

According to most definitions of the word ‘garden’, these inspiring and lovely wilderness areas I happen upon are not gardens at all. They have not been planned or planted and tended and perhaps this spontaneity and lack of planning is what makes them so appealing.

I like the company of trees. Their presence seems so solid and enduring and oddly reassuring to me. And yet, many forests are threatened. Perhaps we are all meant to be the ‘gardeners’ for these forest gardens. I wonder how I can best help to protect them?